


Nothing

by hidley



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Angst, Break Up, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-10
Updated: 2013-11-10
Packaged: 2018-01-01 02:03:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1039028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hidley/pseuds/hidley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The guys take Gavin out drinking, hoping it will help him forget about Michael. But as the drinks pour in, and the memories start returning, maybe a drunk, heartbroken Gavin wasn't the best idea, especially when Michael's phone is still in his contacts, and his apartment is only a few blocks away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nothing

'C'mon, buddy. It'll be good for you.'

Gavin looked up from where he was sat at his desk, hands resting on the keyboard in from of him.

With a sigh he reached up and rubbed the back of his neck distractedly. 'Nah, Geoff I've still got this to edit and I'm feeling pretty tired. Maybe next time-'

'Bullshit.' Geoff walked the rest of the way into the room and leaned over Gavin, quickly saving and shutting down the video software on his desktop. Gavin let out a half hearted protest before Geoff grabbed him by the back of the shirt and pushed him out the door. 'You know that doesn't have to be up until the end of tomorrow. You're coming out with us.'

_Yeah, because you think it will help_ , Gavin thought. 'No, Geoff please. C'mon, I don't feel like it.'

As they moved out of the room and through the building, Geoff calling out to various people that they were going to the bar, Gavin struggled less and less until he just walked by Geoff's side, defeat settling in him. There wasn't much he could do to get out of this. He may as well accept it and go along without making a fuss.

'Joel! Burnie! We're going drinking! Get your coats!'

* * *

The bar was fairly busy for a Thursday night, but as Gavin walked in behind Geoff, he noticed that most of the people there were from work. The Rooster Teeth lot were where this place got most of it's business. Although he still would rather not be here, Gavin had to admit, he felt better with the familiar company.

With a small shove from Burnie, Gavin followed the line up to the bar, letting Geoff order for him. The older man ended up getting shots for them all, and made sure that Gavin was the one carrying them over to their table, talking in his ear the whole time.

Most of the entire crew was filling up the booths at the back, and all of them were making an overwhelming amount of noise. Gavin watched in amusement as Barbara tried balancing straws on her nose, but failing miserably, making everyone at her table howl with laughter. They'd clearly been here for a while longer than them.

Gavin glanced at his watch, and was surprised to see it was as late as it was. He must have lost track of time back at the office. Him and Geoff put the drinks down on the table in the middle, and within seconds, they were scattered. Suppressing a chuckle, Gavin took the shot Geoff handed to him and downed it, earning a grin from the older man, and a cheer from somewhere behind him.

The cold feeling that had been settling in his stomach for the last week warmed slightly, and Gavin relaxed. He slipped down into a chair beside a very sober Ray and decided it might do him good to pretend that he was okay for a couple of hours.

* * *

'BEACH BOYS! DO THE BEACH BOYS!'

The request spread within moments and soon the whole bar was chanting at them, dozens of drunken idiots pleading with the other four drunken idiots on stage to do an acapella for them.

Gavin's chest hurt from laughing so hard at Geoff's face when he realised what they were asking for, and now they were all stood up on stage, like deer in headlights, staring out at a crowd that would never let them live this down, whether they did it or not.

Geoff turned towards Gavin with terrified eyes, and Gavin lost it. Tears streamed down his face as he gasped in air, laughter making his already red face crimson. He slapped his hand on Geoff's shoulder, and tried to tell him to lighten up, but it came out as incoherent babbling. After a few attempts, he gave up and collapsed onto Geoff's shoulder, still unable to suppress his laughter.He watched as Jack finally took charge of the situation and waved his hands out to the mass of people before them.

'Hey! Hey guys, we're not gunna do that one alright? I mean, we don't even have any one sober enough to start the-'

'OH I WOULDN'T SPEAK SO SOON, JACK.'

Without even having to look at who spoke, Gavin let out another loud howl of laughter as Ray jogged up onto stage, his arms held up above his head in victory, a shit-eating grin spread all over his face.

Gavin heard a barely audible, 'oh fuck,' from Geoff before Ray cleared his throat loudly to silence the crowd and straightened his tie. He glanced around expectantly at the four men behind him and poised his hands in the air like a conductor, before singing the first line to 'Barbara Ann,' clearly across the whole bar.

It took a few attempts, but eventually Jack and Ryan started grudgingly singing along with him at their cue, and Gavin quickly joined them, throwing himself into it the moment he got his breath back, though his eyes were still red and his voice was elevated from the grin the could feel stretching his face. Geoff looked like he was about to murder somebody for the first couple of rounds, but after being passed a shot from Griffon offstage and threatening anyone in the crowd with a camera phone, he dutifully came in on the high parts, his eyes screwed shut and his scowl in full effect.

They went for a couple of verses before embarrassment took over once again and Jack waved Ray down with a strained smile. Their applause was deafening as they quickly walked off stage, hurrying back to their seats.

Gavin threw himself back down beside Ray, completely smashed, his mouth slurring every word that came out of it. 'That was- fucking-' he hiccuped. 'Top, man.' His vision was blurred at best, but he could still keep himself upright enough that he wasn't lying on Ray. Much.

'Yeah, it was,' Ray turned his head and grimaced at the stinking alcohol on his friend's breath. 'Glad you had fun, dude.'

'Are you- hic- kidding me?' Gavin tried to ignore the black spots that were now layering over the faces of everyone he looked at. 'That was the most fun I've had in- hic- like, two weeks.'

'Two weeks, huh?' Ray chuckled, pushing his friend upright from where he was sliding under the table. 'What the hell happened then that was more fu-' He stopped abruptly, as if realising something, but Gavin was oblivious.

He let out a giggle, his arms jelly as he tried fruitfully to keep himself on the seat. 'Me and- hic- Michael went and had lunch in some park in town. There were, like. So many- hic- many-fucking pigeons.' He doubled over in a fit of silent laughter, his arms clutching his stomach. 'Oh my god, Ray. You've never seen- hic- so many. So many-'

But Ray had stopped listening. Over Gavin's head he was frantically waving towards Geoff, who, at seeing the man's gestures, shot up out of his seat and straight over to where Gavin sat, still bent over, giggling into nothing.

'Aaand that's enough to drink.'

'Aww! Geoff! Why you gotta- hic-' Gavin struggled weakly against the older man's grip, frowning in annoyance. 'Bugger off, Geoff!'

'Nope. C'mon buddy, we gotta get you home-' Geoff tried pulling Gavin towards the exit, but Gavin ducked out of his grip and staggered backwards.

He took a step too far and crashed into a nearby table, knocking over the remains of a couple's drinks. He was barely aware of Ray leaping out of his seat and grabbing him by arm, apologising hurriedly to the two women, who luckily seemed tipsy enough themselves, and laughed it off.

Gavin felt himself being hoisting up by the arm pits, as Ray heaved him out of the bar, Geoff following close behind.

* * *

It was only when they were outside that they noticed Gavin had stopped struggling. Instead, he just stared down at his feet, the carefree grin wiped clear off his face.

'Shit.' Geoff wiped a hand over his face roughly, trying to clear his head. ' _Shit_. We need to get him home right now.'

'On it,' Ray had his phone in his hand, already dialling the number for a cab.

Geoff stood in front of where Gavin was propped up against a wall, waving his hand in front of the man's face. 'Hey. Hey, Gav. You alright, buddy?'

He didn't get a reply, but Gavin raised his head, eyes fixing on Geoff's, who smiled and waved again. 'There we are. We're gunna go back home now, alright, Gav?'

Gavin continued to stare blindly, blinking far too frequently. After a long silence, his gaze shifted so it fixed on something behind Geoff's head. He leant his head back against the wall behind him, and muttered a few words that made Geoff's stomach drop.

'He left me.'

Geoff froze, his eyes fixed on Gavin's blank face. He cursed under his breath, and brought his hands up to either side of Gavin's cheeks, forcing the man to look at him. Gavin did, but with wide, shocked eyes, like he had just seen something terrifying. 'Gavin. Gavin, listen. Just concentrate on me okay? The cab will be here soon and we can-'

'He left me, Geoff.' Gavin's voice broke, and his eyes started filling with tears. 'He left me and it's all my fault.'

'Ray!' Geoff bellowed over his shoulder.

The other man was there in a second, letting Geoff stay in front of Gavin but turning his friend's head to face himself.

Before he even got a word out, Gavin flinched once under his grip, then seemed to realise he was being cornered and ripped himself from Geoff's hands too.

'Gavin!'

'Get off me!' Gavin yelled at them, swaying dangerously close to the road, his feet losing footing wherever they landed. 'Just get the hell away from me!'

'Gavin, please,' Ray held his hands out towards him pleadingly. 'Gav, just come away from the road. C'mon man.'

Seeming to realise where he was stood, Gavin shook his head and took a few paces forward, the wet ground making him slip off to the side, but away from the street. He looked up again at Ray and Geoff, stood a few feet away, watching him for what he was going to do next.

Somehow, the fact they seemed so weary of him made a flare of anger heat up Gavin's face, and he turned around, pelting it down the pavement.

He heard them shouting his name behind him, and their heavy footfalls thundering against the concrete, but he didn't slow. Instead he pushed himself faster and faster, having no destination except away from the people behind him. Away from that bar. Away from this _town_. #

Everywhere was tainted with memories, reminders. He had watched him touch every single thing in this city, he had touched them with him. Not realising that one day it was going to be torture, as no matter what direction he ran, he would never be able to run fast enough.

He ran for block after block, changing direction whenever he could, though sticking to the main road. Every street he passed he threw glances over his shoulder. The lights that covered the city were hazy, distorted from too much drink and blurred by tears that refused to stop.

After what could have been hours, he finally stopped, around yet another corner, and keeled over, wheezing and coughing his breath back into his body. The pain in his legs was numbed by the alcohol, but his head pounded like he had taken a hit from a car. Checking back round the corner to make sure he had lost his pursuers, Gavin collapsed down onto the ground, back pressed against the cold, concrete wall.

His vision was all over the place, shapes and lights blending together and moving in front of him until he felt sick. He pressed his face into the palms of his hands, digging the ends into his eyes to block out the glare. Sitting there, everything he had been running from slowly caught up with him, and though it started gradually, with small surges of sadness making his stomach churn, soon it all came crashing down, and he felt as though he was drowning, that he couldn't trust himself to open his mouth without screaming.

It was his fault. He'd pushed him away, again and again. If he had done something different, been a better partner then he wouldn't have left. He would be right here, by Gavin's side as they stumbled out of the bar together. He would be tucked up in their small apartment instead of sitting in the middle of the street, clinging to his jacket like it was the only thing keeping him from floating away.

If he had just been good enough, then Michael would still be here.

His felt his pocket vibrate. Once, and then again, lighting up his jeans like a torch.

He let his hands fall away from his face and land on his lap as he waited for the call to ring out. The buzzing was drowned out by the sound of the city rushing past, but Gavin could still feel the vibration, persistently catching his attention. Eventually, he reached into his pocket and pulled it out, staring down at the blue screen. He couldn't make out the name, number or even the picture of the person calling, but it didn't matter. Gavin still wouldn't have wanted to talk to them, no matter who they were.

He watched as the phone finally rang out completely, the screen fading to black, and let himself toy with an idea, although even in his state, he knew it was a bad one.

Hesitantly, he pressed the lock key, and went to his phone's numbers by memory. Instead of typing in the name, he scrolled down slowly, trying to read every name as it went passed, picturing their face and imagined them each telling him that this would be a mistake. He passed Burnie's name, and Geoff's, and kept scrolling.

He reached the top of the 'M's' and stopped, his finger hovering over the call button on Michael's number.

It wouldn't make a difference... Would it? Just by calling him, maybe telling him he was sorry, that he'd be better, maybe he'd come to his senses.

Gavin's finger pressed the call button gently and he held the phone to his ear.

Just by pleading, begging with him to take him back, making him see how much Gavin needed him, maybe then he'd see the mistake he'd made. Maybe he'd take Gavin back..maybe...

It started to ring.

Suddenly, the phone was being forced out of his grip, and Geoff was right there in his face. Gavin had a moment to register the look of fury directed at him before he was being pulled to his feet and slammed against the wall.

'Where the HELL have you been?' Gavin flinched as Geoff's shout rang in his ears, but his gaze was fixed on his phone, which was in Ray's hand.

Ray pressed the 'end call' button quickly and shoved the device into his back pocket, his face red and screwed up as he panted harshly. Gavin's eyes shot up to his friend's, still raw from crying and him rubbing them into his hands. Ray looked up and met his stare, his own eyes widening in caution.

'Give that back,' Gavin heard himself say.

His words made Ray instantly cover his pocket with his hand and take a step back. 'Sorry, man. We can't let you do this to yourself.'

Grief rose up again, manifesting into something much more violent. In a heartbeat, Gavin went from calm to seeing red and he let out a scream at Ray as he fought Geoff's arms off of himself, shoving and kicking with all his strength.

'Give it back! Give it BACK!'

'Gavin! Stop!' Geoff yelled in his face, refusing to let the younger man escape his grip, but struggling to keep Gavin from punching him in the face. 'Calm down!'

'GIVE IT BACK!' Gavin's manic yelling resonated across the block, drawing the attention of passers-by walking on completely different streets.

Geoff had had enough. With a sharp kick to the back of the leg, Gavin fell back down onto the ground, his head slamming against the hard concrete.

'Calm down!' The older man roared at him, keeping Gavin's arms pressed firmly behind his back. 'Phoning him isn't going to help! Going to his apartment _isn't going to help_! Gavin...'

But Gavin had given up struggling. Instead, he just lay, sobbing into the dirty floor his face was pressed into, his entire body shaking uncontrollably as the high from the alcohol came colliding back down again, and his will left him all at once.

Letting go of Gavin's arms, Geoff knelt down on the ground and pulled the boy into him, resting his face on his shoulder, where he continued to break, cries ripping from him as if by force, and hands clutching desperately at Geoff's shirt.

'Jesus, Gav.'

'He- he's gone, Geoff. God- He's really gone.'

'I know, buddy. I know, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.'

Ray fell back against the wall, trembling hands covering his face as he tried to calm himself down. But the sound of his best friend breaking his heart right in front of him made his breath short, and his eyes burned with sympathy for him.

They were only a block away from Michael's apartment. And by the looks of it, Gavin hadn't even realised that was where he had been running to.

Gavin's phone buzzed in his back pocket, and he pulled his hands away in surprise.

He turned and looked back at Gavin, who was still shaking from where Geoff held him on the pavement. Geoff's eyes were closed and his hand was moving through Gavin's hair gently, the other still wound around the boy tight.

Moving away, Ray pulled out the phone and watched Michael's name flash up on the screen. With a shaky sigh, Ray walked a block away before answering it.

'Hey, man. Yeah, it's Ray. No, he's fine, just a bit drunk. Yeah, yeah I know. Listen, Michael...I gotta ask something of you. And I really want you to think about it...'

* * *

 

As the sun started to come up again, Geoff finally tucked Gavin into his bed back at their house, hours after they'd left the bar.

He made sure the curtains were drawn tight, before carefully slipping out of the room and into the dim hallway. He closed the door silently behind him, and turned to face Ray, who had been waiting outside, and was watching Geoff expectantly.

'He'll sleep for a while,' Geoff yawned and stretched his arms out. 'If I know that kid, and I do, he would have forgotten all of this by this time tomorrow.'

Ray nodded, his body slumped against the wall. 'I guess that's a good thing.'

'You're damn right,' Geoff said, tiredly. 'I just don't know what we're gunna do about him and Michael.'

'I kind of already took care of it,' Ray said, quietly.

Geoff looked up at him. 'What? How?'

There was a heavy pause, in which Geoff's worn brain started clicking again, and he let out a small 'oh'. Ray's face was sunken with guilt, but he nodded.

'I told him that it wasn't fair on Gavin any more. I told him not to contact him again. Quitting was his own decision.'

Geoff's hands came up to bury his face in again, and he let out a whine, 'God, how did any of this happen?'

Ray looked up at his boss, who was normally so disinterested, and let a sad smile slip.

'It's Michael and Gavin, Geoff. When was anything with those two ever easy?'

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by 'Nothing' by The Script.


End file.
